Ed Orgeron knew Brian Kelly wouldn't succeed as LSU head coach as soon as he made his first impression.
The Tigers hired Kelly in November 2021 to replace Orgeron, and he went viral almost immediately for giving a public speech in an unusual southern accent at halftime of an LSU basketball game.
"It's over," Orgeron said on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, recalling his reaction to Kelly's remarks to fans. "You ain't got a chance. You ain't got a chance. Not only did the fans see it, the players saw that. And they're like, 'Hmm.'"
Orgeron added, "One of the things is that players have to trust you. You have to be who you are. If you try and be somebody that you ain't, they’re going to smell it right away."
Kelly joined LSU after a long and successful stint at Notre Dame. However, the Tigers didn't meet expectations under his watch, going 34-14 from 2022-25 with a 19-10 record in the SEC. The program didn't reach the College Football Playoff during that span, and Kelly was ultimately fired during the 2025 season amid a 5-3 start.
Orgeron returned to LSU this week to serve as a special assistant to recruiting and defense on Lane Kiffin's staff. He previously served as the Tigers' head coach from 2016-21 and guided the team to a remarkable 15-0 campaign with a national title during the 2019 season.
